1 missing, 30 families evacuated in Davao del Norte

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte -- Authorities alerted residents on Thursday for possible flooding as the provincial disaster office reported a person missing and some 30 families in Kapalong town have evacuated to safer grounds following continuous rains in the province since Wednesday morning.

Sonio Sanchez, Davao del Norte Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) officer, reported Thursday morning that they are ongoing search and rescue operation for the missing person in Kapalong after they were hindered Wednesday night due to the rising water of the Saug River.

He said the PDRRMC also alerted five flood-prone areas as municipal and city disaster management councils were activated when they monitored on the ground that various rivers were swelling with flood waters following continuous rains that started on New Year’s Day.

Alerted were the municipalities of Talaingod, Kapalong, Asuncion, Santo Tomas and Tagum City.

The PDRRMC recommended a preemptive evacuation of people especially those in downstream communities here and in the towns of Sto. Tomas and Carmen, which are traversed by the the big Libuganon River.

The rains in the province were brought in by the low pressure area (LPA) earlier spotted southeast of Mindanao.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), in their 11 a.m. weather bulletin, announced that the Low Pressure Area developed into a storm and was named Auring -- the first Typhoon to visit the country this year.

In its bulletin, Pagasa said the center of the typhoon was last spotted 50 kilometers West of Dipolog City having winds of up to 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and is expected to be at 180 km Southwest of Puerto Princesa City..

Auring is forecasted to move West at 28 kph and is expected to leave Puerto Princess City at 460 km tomorrow evening or outside the Philippine Area of Responsibilty (PAR).

Earlier today, a vessel from Zamboanga City ran aground near the Dumaguete port when it was carried away by huge waves and strong winds due to the typhoon.

Ten provinces were placed under signal number 1 which include, Palawan in Luzon, Southern part of Negros provinces and Siquijor Island in the Visayas, and Lanao Del Norte Lanao Del Sur Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay in Mindanao. PNA/Sunnex)